NASA/GSFC has a requirement for Balloon Flight Program Operations services. These services include operating and maintaining the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF), and providing engineering services to support the NASA Balloon Program. CSBF is a Government-owned facility located in Palestine, Texas, with a permanent balloon staging facility at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The Contractor will also be required to provide operational balloon flight support including launching, tracking, and recovering scientific balloons and payloads, and to provide engineering services for operational support, quality control, and balloon research and development. Contract services will be performed at multiple locations including at the CSBF, at Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) located at Wallops Island VA, and at the Contractor's facility.

To allow the short term continuation of the existing Balloon Flight Program Operations contract (from April 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, with up to seven one-month options through January 31, 2015) until a follow-on competitive procurement is completed, NASA/GSFC intends to purchase the services from the current incumbent, Regents of New Mexico State University, Physical Science Laboratory, on a sole source basis. Conducting a competitive procurement for the continuation of these services would seriously impact current ongoing balloon flight program activities and the efficiency of the follow-on competition. For those offerors that are interested in participating in the follow-on competition for these services, we currently anticipate the release of a draft RFP in the March time frame.

Authority is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) Only one responsible source.

The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. local time on March 5, 2013. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government.

Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.